Water is essential to semiconductor fabrication. It is estimated that creating an integrated circuit on a 300 mm wafer requires approximately 2,200 gallons of water in total, of which more than 68% (1,500 gallons) is ultra-pure water (UPW). With flow rates for a manufacturing fabrication facility ranging from 500 to 2,000 gallons-per-minute, a complete system can cost between $25-40 million. Water use of 3-4 million gallons per day for a 300 mm fabrication facility could double to 6-8 million gallons per day for future 450 mm fabrication facilities.
In order to save water in semiconductor fabrication facilities there needs to be new apparatuses and methods to control UPW and liquid effluent flows throughout the semiconductor fabrication facility.